Stories about a Captain and a Thief
by khabiara
Summary: One shots about the growing interest between Trafalgar Law and Cat thief Nami as witnessed by some crew members.
1. Penguin

Disclaimer: One piece's characters belong to Eiichiro Oda. I do not own any of them.

This is my first LawNa fanfiction. If it sounds weird, it is probably because I speak Spanish and this is the first fanfic I write in English. So it is an experiment :D

Enjoy.

The not so Mature Competition

He was convinced now. There was something wrong with that woman's head.

Law focused his sight on the cracks of the old wooden table before him and its suspicious yellow stains. Then he fixed his hat and drank another sip of beer. Not that he cared.

Penguin looked nervously over his shoulder. –Captain, maybe we should…-

The Heart Captain shrugged his shoulders–She is Straw hat's problem-

Penguin looked back again, fully aware that his captain was becoming angrier as the minutes passed. He should have stayed at the sub, he thought. Their encounters with Miss Nami never brought them more than troubles, simply because their Captain couldn't hold on to his own rule. "Leave her alone".

-So, baby, what was your name again?-

Penguin could almost hear the glass cracking under Law's hand, even when his face looked still motionless. He had never had the chance to watch Cat Thief Nami, Miss Nami for the crew, in action. He had only heard stories about that time when she had robbed a whole marine ship on her own, or when she had taken a whole recently paid brigade's wallet. As long as there is money at stake, he had heard some say, nothing stopped her. He had to admit he was kind of hooked into the situation.

-Nojiko-

Law looked into his glass still listening. So did Penguin. As a matter of fact Miss Nami stories had become famous among the Heart pirates crew not only because of the ability to scape with surprisingly large "profits" from difficult-full-of-marines-situations, but also because none of them had failed to see their Capitan's difficulty to ignore her.

-Nojiko, ah? What is Nojiko doing in a place like this, ah?- Asked one of the marines pushing her to a sit at the bar.

Penguin peeked at her "clothing" bags again, resting next to her on the bar table, surrounded by young marines who had no idea that half of the city headquarters' money was lying inside those bags.

-Hey, I know where we can have some fun here, let's go to that pub where they play live music, wouldn't you like to dance, Miss Nojiko?- There was a cheerful response from a group of marines surrounding the thief now. Judging by their drunk faces, they were likely to insist.

Penguin contained his breath and anxiously looked at his captain. Was that a grin? He had heard from Sachi that the more reckless the behavior of the Straw hat navigator was, the angrier Law became. They had joked around with the idea that their stoic captain was, in fact, concerned for her, and they had got to the conclusion that having such reckless allies was what made Law so upset.

Or so they thought.

Until things became a little bit more personal.

They argued. They argued a lot, to the point that there was no manner in which one of them would avoid pointing to any little and insignificant mistake committed by the other. Miss Nami was far more childish than their Captain; she used to lose her temper quite quickly. Law simply pointed out her failures and then ignored her. Since their crews had become alleys, their encounters had been more frequent. So were their fights.

-No thank you- Nami answered with a wide, charming smile – It's getting late, father must be waiting for me…-

Penguin sweat cold. Law was grinning widely and he knew his Captain. There was something else, something that he could not see yet. He followed Law's look which was now fixed at the door.

And waited.

Nami had taken her bags and crossed half the pub, graciously waving goodbye to the bunch of friendly marines, when the door opened wide.

-THE HEADQURTERS CASH IS GONE-

The room froze. Penguin and Nami included. The heart pirate could have sworn he heard Law chuckling.

The newcomer looked at Nami in the face, not too far from her, and started raising his hand while trying to articulate something that sounded dangerously close to "Cat thief Nami"

Nami thanked that the whole bar was too drunk to immediately understand the poor guard's words. She released a sigh while composing her staff in bitter regret. These marines had been nice to her, she even liked them.

When the guard at the door reacted, it was already too late. A clean hit on his head put him out of the way while Nami started running, bags in hand, pursued by a dozen or so marines down the street. There would have been a few more, if not for a table that flew right to the middle of the room interrupting the way of the other drunk group.

-JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU 'RE DOING?-

Law ignored the question and walked peacefully through the door. Penguin evaded the fallen marines, defeated by the alcohol and Law's flying table. He stopped at the bar's door, trying to see in which direction the girl had gone, his Capitan already turning left at the next corner.

Nami saw her hair floating unnaturally around her. She almost felt sad for the group of drunkards that were running to catch her.

Almost

With a simple movement she unleashed the lighting storm over the terrified men. She observed her work with amusement, too bad she was the only one admiring the beauty of such perfect lighting formation. Or so she thought. However, she had to run before the other group of marines could see her.

-Need some help?-

She looked up to meet the grinning face of Trafalgar Law from a terrace above her.

The navigator received him with plain contempt. –Don't even dare to interfere!- Anyone's help would have been more than welcome, but not his. She would not give him that satisfaction.

-Too late for that-

-No one asked for your help!- She was not happy with the spectacle she had given at the bar. She had been so close to a perfect escape…

The sound of the approaching marines made her resume her initial task –Don't interfere!-

That was the last thing Penguin heard her say before she disappeared into a house, bags, clothes, money and the murderous aura with her.

"And she did escape" commented Penguin realizing she had been successful.

Law frowned at lost group of marines on persecution.

"Room"

OOOoooOOOO

Was it too horrible? I want to keep writing one shots of this couple. They are just perfect. I am not good with long stories. Any comments are welcome. Observations about my English are welcome as well xD for the sake of improving my following fanfictions.

C: thanks for reading!


	2. Robin's Realization

Thank you for all your reviews C:

I just realized some very simple mistakes in the previous chapter, I tried to write this one the best I could, but it is hard not to have any mistake when I have no one to correct them.

_Italics sentences like this are thought_. Just in case

Robin's Realization

Law walked into the room as if it had been his own. It wasn't even necessary to use his scan ability to know where the papers he was looking for were.

He closed the door and sat comfortably in the wooden armchair behind the desk. There was a marine in the next room, probably sleeping he assumed, as he had found innumerable times in his "visits" to the small cities marine headquarters.

The list of medical supplies and their storage places was easy to memorize, the only lists left to check were the munitions and food storages, usually trusted to different people. The young captain yawned, bored. His crew would be able to leave the island with brand new provisions that same night. Basically because the island was too busy receiving a group of rich aristocrats which had been escorted by Smoker and his weak subordinate, true, but there were no reasons for them to know he was there.

Another yawn and the marine at the next room gave no signs of returning, so the black haired man stretched his arms feeling lost and dizzy in the small office, watching the pretty sight outside the window, with its red rooftops and white walls. The sunlight entered the office showing the little dust mots floating in the air, falling over the chest at his side.

The open chest next to him.

The one he hadn't opened.

The idea crossed his mind, shadowing his perfect plan of undiscovered supplying.

He was being paranoid. He thought. It surely was nothing.

He kept looking at it though. The forced lock had been such a perfect work.

Trafalgar Law got up from the comfortable armchair and opened the door of the other room only to confirm his suspicion. He cursed under his breath and hurried out, leaving a terrified marine tied over the floor.

If things were close to how he was picturing them in his mind, it was only a matter of minutes before Smoker was alerted and his plan endangered.

-Nami-

She cursed her luck. What were the odds? She had barely managed to sneak herself into the room's wardrobe. And now it had been 20 minutes of boring technical exchange between Smoker and the old officer outside the thin wooden doors that hide her.

She sighted silently. At least they had not noticed the presence of her crew. Which was surprising because "unnoticed" was a word some of them seemed not to know. All she asked for was for Luffy being quiet long enough for her to escape from there. She dropped her head in disbelief.

_Yeah, sure._

Officer!- Nami almost jumped when the marine opened the door –there is a problem in the dining room-

-What problem?- The old man got up slowly and walked to the door.

Nami heard something about food being rotten or something. Not that she cared. This was her chance. Smoker looked tired, and for a second it seemed he had no intentions to leave. But finally she heard his heavy steps leaving the room.

_Finally_

With no time to lose she was about to open the door of the wardrobe when she distinguished a shadow just between her and her freedom. She froze. She hand't felt that third person into the room.

-Are you planning to stay there all day, Nami-ya?-

-…-

Of course.

Nami cursed again. Just what had she done to deserve this luck? She stepped out the wardrobe felling almost slapped by that sarcastic, mocking grin of his.

-Just what are you doing here?- She replied angrily.

-Doing more interesting things than playing Hide-and-seek-

Nami ignored him and started checking the officer's desk. –Any plan to get us out of here?-

Law walked to the door – Civilized people exit I think-

Nami would have answered if only she hadn't heard Tashigi's voice approaching the hallway.

-Smookeer-saaaaan-

Nami ran to the window and opened it –How do we get…?-

The moment she turned around to ask the question she was already in the air, waist wrapped in Law's left arm, falling from the fifth floor.

-"room"-

She thanked her panic not to have screamed, because when Law threw away the lamp he had "borrowed" from the office and used "shambles", they had already landed safely among some barrels in a back alley, right next to the headquarters' walls, under a big but tall window.

As soon as Nami reconstructed what had just happened she shifted her body to confront him-Are you mad?-

-You are welcome- He replied. No expression in his voice.

Nami wasn't quite sure what she hated more, if his reluctance to believe she was really capable of dealing with her owns problems, or his tendency to ignore everything she said. Until before their landing, it was the first, but now, observing his inexpressive face peeking over the barrel that hide them from the main alley as If she weren't even there, the second was gaining place -Let's leave-

-keep quiet-

Nami grabbed her tempo, which had landed not too far from her- However, I'm leaving- She started moving away from the barrels. Trying not to think that maybe she should have thanked him. Not that she couldn't leave by herself, but he had helped.

She had barely left her place when the window above them slammed open. Nami conjured her mirage tempo almost as a reflex as Law pushed her back to where he was. None of them moved as a familiar smell of cigarettes filled the air.

-Is there anything wrong?- Asked a masculine voice inside the building.

Smoker looked suspiciously at the alley, but besides some barrels and wooden boxes, there was nothing else.

The navigator closed her eyes and tightened her body nervously, holding her breath.

-I thought I heard someone out there-

Nami let some air into her lungs when the window closed and looked for the surgeon eyes to give him the best "I told you" look she had.

But instead her eyes ended up reflecting the same confusion that was in his.

The hurry had made none of the pirates pay actual attention to their movements. She had turned her back to the wall in order to produce the mirage tempo correctly, while the Heart pirate had grabbed her by the waist and pushed her right under the marine's vision scope.

Right under him.

As a result, Law's head was almost resting over her right shoulder, his body locking hers against the wall so close that she could feel the warmth coming from him.

Law was the first to react, slowly raising his head to the window as if checking no one was still looking and pushing his body back. His arms no longer at her sides.

The navigator looked for something to break the awkwardness of the situation –When I checked there were like twelve marines in the dining room… did _you_ poisoned them? – She bit her tongue. _Just what kind of stupid question was that?_

The surgeon accommodated his sword in his arms (it had fallen to the floor with all the movement) – I think there were like sixteen- He answered as if nothing had happened, yet avoiding her gaze.

-Nami, if you come to the Thousand now we might be able to sail without Luffy realizing that Smoker is here-

The red haired woman almost jumped in surprised when she saw Robin's head pop out the wall next to her, smiling widely at them.

-I'll be leaving first then- Nami said immediately, standing up easily as Law had withdrawn some inches more in surprise, just as her. She left the alley easily jumping the wall at the back, waving back with her hand as she left in a clear hurry.

-Thanks for helping our navigator-

All Robin had for an answer was the nod of the Heart captain.

The woman chuckled softly as he left. That had been quite the view.


	3. Chopper's Realization

Hello everyone and thank you for your reviews and to the ones who follow my fic C:

I'm sorry it took so much time than expected to bring this chapter. I had some technical problems and decided to change completely the chapter I was originally writing. This one is kind of an experiment I would say, just trying to make a random situation an interesting one. I hope it worked.

Chopper's realization

From the frame of the door, the navigator cleared her throat to announce her presence in the little gray room.

The whole heart crew turned in surprised, their captain being the only one barely looked at her from over his shoulder. He had felt her walk into the room, but had decided to ignore her as long as she remained silent. Now that his eyes were on her, though, there was something rather unsettling as he captured the details of her figure leaning slightly to the left, under the red locks that fell over her shoulders.

She was wearing a full skirt dress, with little white flowers at the bottom of the skirt, which fell gently just above her knees, giving her an innocent air. A blue jacket covering her arms and shoulders from that particularly cold day. That kind of _casual_ dress that in her was_ obviously_ _not casual_, in the surgeon's opinion.

-What do you want, Nami-ya?-

The navigator ignored the suspicious frown and the harsh voice, after all, she, Law's least favorite Straw hat had walked into his submarine uninvited while some semi important plans were being discussed among the crew.

Not that _that_ was a problem for her.

She smiled charmingly –Good morning Law-

The men all waved back at her, mumbling incoherent phrases, except for their captain, the only one who had not turned his body towards her yet.

Brushing her hair with her fingers, Nami continued almost naturally -I heard that you visited a certain marine library two weeks ago- The some of the heart men nodded almost before she could finish- you …borrowed some maps from there, I am wrong?-

An immediate muttering rose as she finished. She moved her eyes from Law's cold glance to Bepo right next to him, and urged him with an almost angelical smile.

-Well, we did take a dozen or so...-

-Would you like to look at them?- Penguin and Sachi were already standing up to bring her the precious maps when finally their captain tuned his body towards the woman.

-Stop right there-

A deadly silence fell over the pirates, freezing them in fear. He leaned his body forward to fully look at her in the eyes, repeating with calm –What do you want, Nami-ya?-

She was enjoying this, because she knew how uncomfortable and angry made him to know how delighted his crew felt each time she was around. It had started with some stories about how far she had gone to steal precious objects, she wasn't quite sure all of the stories were actually true, but they seemed to have raised a kind of admiration for her. And she would make sure to use that.

So she walked confidently to a chair right in front of his and lowered the tone of her voice only to make him clear why she was there –A map, you know, white sheet of paper, with a marine icon on its right corner, more or less this large, it has some shapes on it –She gestured with her hands- I know you took it-

-And which of all the maps I possess you claim that to be?- A smirk starting to form in the commissure of his lips.

Nami frowned a little, enough only for his rival to notice, as if she was concerned by his sudden show of confidence. –The one of the undersea currents of this archipelago-

He did not reply, keeping his eyes as inexpressive as usual.

-Do you have it?- She asked gently. Nami was used to negotiations, and patience was an important part of them, even more when the other part was so unwilling to help, especially when she was enjoying his confusion so much.

At his stubborn silence she deliberately looked at Penguin, making him to move uncomfortably in his place. Nami felt almost pity of the poor man, who wanted so much to tell her. Yet a sole look from Law steadied him.

She sighted internally; he was their captain after all. Yet his anxiousness was enough for her.

-I think you have it- She declared finally resting her head in her hand. She almost froze when he chuckled amused and closed the distance between their faces, leaning his whole body to her again. His hands unusually close to her knees, lowering his voice to an icy tone.

-I do have it- His eyes fixed in her–So what?

She had to force herself not to open the distance or show any sign of surprise, even though she felt likely to start panicking at the confidence his body emitted. She had to calm herself, remind herself that she had everything under control. –I want it- Her voice came out slowly and clear, but seductively lower what she would have liked.

– The point, Nami-ya, is that I don't really see why I have to negotiate with you- A victorious shine expanding through his eyes as he made his point about the absurd of her situation.

And there they were, at the very moment why she had actually left her comfortable spot at the Thousand Sunny. She dropped her eyes to his hands, avoiding his lips in the way –That's too sad- She took out a scroll hidden in the skirt of her dress and unceremoniously put it between them– I thought you were looking for this-

She couldn't but draw a wide smile of satisfaction as Law's annoyed frown came back to his face.

-Sca…-

-Luffy sent me- She announced before he could _scan_ her scroll. After all, they knew that the heart pirates had gone to that library to get it, but Zoro had accidentally found it later when a marine ship had attacked them.

She couldn't do less than laugh openly at the Capitan's frustration. She had to admit there was something interesting, even attractive in his face when it darkened like that. She relaxed; it had been enough of personal vengeance. She handed the piece of paper to Bepo, the closest to her.

-look at it if you want, Luffy made me check it exclusively to trade it with you- The woman started playing with one of her red locks, waiting for his answer while the inspection distracted him from his anger, as she expected.

-Fine. Bepo, bring her the map and then make sure you show her the exit- He commanded finally as he walked out of the room. Nami chuckled, he was still angry then. That was a vitory for her. She waved goodbye to him smiling and then spoke to his crew while Bepo came back.

Under the gray cold sky of the island, Nami was leaving the submarine behind absolutely amused by the small victory of the day. It always resulted difficult to her to annoy him to the point of making him leave a room for her. It was usually the other way around.

The woman stretched her arms to the air thinking how would Robin react when she told her, but instead of feeling the soft touch of her jacket, she felt the cold of her skin.

She looked back just in time to see the thin film leaving her behind, and far away, The figure of Law in the deck of the submarine waving her goodbye with her jacket in his hand.

-_Stupid Law _-

She refrained herself from crossing her hands to warm herself. He wouldn't see her complain, and that didn't change anything.

When Robin heard the story, she couldn't help but laugh at the shocked look in Chopper's eyes as he took Nami's temperature. The dark haired woman was still surprised the navigator hadn't noticed.

Even Chopper was starting noticing.


	4. Franky's Realization

Hello everyone! I finally have the new chapter, sorry for the delay! C: I hope you like it. This chapter has a lot more of imagination than the previous ones I think. I hope it works, tell me what you think, reviews are always welcome!

Franky's realization

Out of all the different emotions he was feeling at that very moment, probably that one telling him to throw her off the cliff was the strongest. Especially since she was paying no attention whatsoever to him after deliberately pushing him into the sea. And instead of at least be apologizing to him, as she definitely should be doing _now_, she was releasing some wind eggs out the cave.

-Why did you do that for?- His voice more icy than usual. Killing her here would spoil the alliance. _Just think of the alliance_.

-Because we had to get out of there- She was still smiling. She spoke almost laughing, not even looking at him as she replied. Law felt his throat go dry in anger. Maybe if he continued inquiring he would find a good reason to murder her.

-What do you mean by that?-

She looked at him as if he had asked a stupid question – You lost the room, didn't you? Do you feel alright?-She said that turning her head back to her work. The surgeon closed his eyes containing an outrage and answered slowly –You throw me into the sea, so yeah I feel splendid, thank you- _Maybe I could blame the marines._

The long-haired girl moved her head in frustration – Before we fell!-

-Before you _pushed_ us, you mean?-

-just answer-

Law thought about it for a second. Indeed he had lost the room, no idea why.

When his eyes went back to the girl, she was looking at him mockingly- You didn't notice, did you?- Before the man could reply she moved her staff in to crack the eggs. –Don't breathe it –

Before he could ask what he was supposed not to breath, a strong current of air came into the rock passage, barely giving him the time to hold his breath, yet he felt dizzy after it. A delicate, almost imperceptible white cloud remained floating in the narrow corridor. Observing it against the light, he suddenly realized.

-Is this…?-

She answered with absolute fascination at him –Seastone dust? yes-

-… -

-It's seastone dust!, when the canon you sent flying fell over those containers you smashed something made out of sea stone I think, as I was releasing a window eggs we spread it, so the cloud it rose was not common dust, it was seastone. That's why your room stopped working-

_Think of the alliance_

He glanced at her absolutely sure that if it weren't for the alliance there would be pieces of her floating in the cave instead of sea stone- You threw me to the sea and then bathed me with sea stone? Are you mad or plainly stupid?-

All he received was a charming burst of laughter-forget it, I'm not fighting with you, just imagine what Usopp will do with this!-

The soaked man stretched and clenched his fists trying to focus on ways of getting out of there instead of a manner to cover himself from her imminent murder.

Leaning his back against the hard and uncomfortable rock, he tried to recreate the path that Nami had made him take. The only possible exit he knew was beneath the cave, crossing the sea, which was not an option right now. He stretched his hand trying to call his room, yet it did not respond. No surprise, since we was soaked in sea water AND sea stone, thanks to her.

By know his men were surely looking for them, the same for the straw hats. He couldn't help but imagine how desperate that Cook would be by now. _How would he react finding only one of her hands?_

His thoughts were interrupted by the soft touch of some warm against his soaked cold skin, he saw the body of the red haired woman leaning over his legs, trying to aim at some invisible point into a passage that opened above them. –What are you doing, Nami-ya?-

-Finding a way out-

-And how do you plan to do that?- he couldn't avoid the sarcasm in his voice. Absolutely upset by the idea of how easy this could be with his powers enabled.

-Well, walking I think, pretty much like normal people do-

The man looked at the little opening by which the Straw hat had released her wind eggs. Pretty much trying to focus on the light coming thought it than in the soft skin of the girl in front of him. He would have thanked a wider passage.

-I think that passage will takes us out- She announced, going back to her original spot, as far from him as possible in a dark corner.-I even think that there is more room up there. I can dry us if I am right. If I do that here I might give out our position-

He nodded, the sooner he was out of there, the better.

It was her who guided their way up. Most of it consisted on climbing rocks, which in fact surprised him as he did not expected her to be that agile. As for him, it was unexpected that it would take him so much effort to do so, yet he imagined that being soaked in sea water, in a water cave, with seastone presumably sprinkled over all his clothing somehow affected him. The darkness of the passage chosen added to the fact that that was definitely not a human made exit, it resulted extremely difficult and hostile, so when she finally step aside to a larger, flatter rock he threw his body against the wall, feeling his muscles burn in complain.

-Give me your clothes-

-I'm sorry?-

Her voice grew impatiently –I want to dry them-

_Oh-_As he took off his shirt and coat, the Straw hat released at some distance a heat egg and then a wind one, wrapping them both in a warm, comforting wind. From above, some weak light rays filtered into the passage they were in, falling over the red locks floating around her. He didn't fail to notice her heavy breathing as well as the little bruises on her skin, fresh and salty. If they didn't hurt now, they would do soon.

-Why didn't you do this before?- He had to admit that most of his anger had vanished, fatigue taking over his body.

\- Those marine are probably looking for us, judging by the narrowness of the place we were in, and the height of it, it would have given our position rather quickly-

She replied mechanically, as reciting an explanation by heart. He judged her being exhausted as well. Opening his hands again he tried to form his room, but nothing happened. Now that his body was drying, he felt the heaviness of the dust in him –You seem to know quite a lot about caves, Nami-ya-

A quick smile appear and left her lips as he said that.-We are done- She replied starting to walk again. –We should be leaving soon, before nightfall for –

She stopped as the a yellow shirt fell over her head-Put that on- Law ordered-I don't want to hear Cook-ya complaining about your bruises-

Nami didn't have to hear him twice. She pushed her thoughts about how annoying he usually was just to cover the scratches that were burning in her arms and back, not to mention that she was starting to freeze already.

The passage was big enough for both of them to walk each next to the other, which she thanked, because her back ached already and she was sure that the black haired captain was feeling as tired a she.

Not exactly by the same reasons though.

She felt rather guilty anyway. Even though she was sure she noticed the problem of the sea stones before anyone else, all she wanted was the marines not noticing what had happened. After all, it didn't matter how many things Usopp could do with it, if it was used against them it would pose rather a huge problem. And that was all she had actually thought of before pushing Law down to the sea with her. Her last wind egg making sure all the dusty evidence was scattered all over the city.

Yet pushing the fruit user into the sea had not been her best idea. She wouldn't admit it to him though.

-You seem well acquainted with caves, Nami-ya- The woman smiled, for she knew he had been meaning to ask that for some time now. She shrugged her shoulders.

-I used to spend a lot of time in caves like this as a child-

It never ceased to surprise her how far the memories seemed to her know.

-Strange hobby for a child-

-I used to hide in these caves. Villagers can get really mad when you steal from them- That was all she managed to remember properly, yet she felt deep inside her chest how the touch of the rough stones awaked that buried fear of desperate loneliness. The fear she used to have as she managed to escape alive from those caves, hoping to find Kokoyashi as she had left it at her return.

But what she feared the most, as they reached their exit, a long vertical passage to an open starry sky, was the vain hope that someone would go for her. She had found a way to survive and to cross the sea all by herself.

She was only a child.

What Nami didn't realize were they eyes fixed on her through the humid gloom of the cave.

-I'm pretty sure your crew is waiting for you out there-

She turned her head to him, surprised, not only by the accuracy of his statement, as if he had read her mind, but more by the complete certainty of his words.

-Yes, they are- She repeated almost to herself.

-Take care of this and hold tight-

Nami didn't have time to react as the surgeon handed her his sword and took her arm in a single movement placing her over his shoulder. When she realized, they were already off the ground.

Embraced to him as she was, Nami couldn't believe he still had the strength to climb that fast. He wasn't one of the more infamous pirates for no reason, she thought, and yet even after all the fights she recalled having with him, there was something kind about that man that made her difficult to think of him as the cruel pirate who sent a hundred beating hearts to the marines. _Well, very very deep inside of him I guess_. Somehow, the warmness and the rhythmic movements of the body under her made her dizzy – I'm sorry, about the sea and all that-

She wasn't sure that he had listened as for it had come out almost as a whisper, but she felt the slight nod he gave her. Smiling safely, the thief leaned her head at one side of his neck and closed her eyes as he ascended.

When the fresh night air struck them both and she saw Franky and Luffy on the Mini Merry waiting for them at the shore. The navigator couldn't help but to release a joyful chuckling, feeling almost as cheerful as when she made it alive to her village as a child.

But now her nakamas were there, waiting for her.

-Hey, I'm not taking you there- He quietly shook her off his shoulder as he recognized the sheep shaped boat on the water.

As he observed her run off the rocks in a childish rush of enthusiasm, it struck him the sudden realization that he was no longer angry at her. Not in the slightest, in fact. He heard Bepo's voice calling him from the other side of the shore, ready to take him back to his submarine. He frowned as an unsettling feeling filled him, observing her wave a charming goodbye at him.

Maybe it was better just not giving it more thought. He waved back and left.

As the boat sailed back to the Thousand, Franky was not sure about asking Nami how exactly she had made The Surgeon of Death carry her out the cave _on his shoulders_. And even stranger for him, was the fact that he had actually _watched_ her to get _safely_ into the boat.

He hurried to the Thousand, eager to comment his observations with Robin. After all she always knew everything that happened.


	5. Bepo's Realization part 1

I am sorry for the delay! I had a terrible time with my finals and with my seminar and all that which I know you all know drains our lives out from us :C . So, This is not a one shot, it was originally a two-parts chapter, but it may end who being three in fact, I am not sure yet. So, this is a more Nami centered chapter. I hope you like it.

Important! Reviews DO make me happy, and in fact, more than that, they really help me know whether or not people are reading my stories. I have many followers for this fic but I never know if you are really reading it. Knowing if you liked it or not or if you have a suggestion is very important. Thank you to all of you who do send me reviews ;).

Bepo's realization

Nami knew she was frightened because it was at times like these when no lock, door or fortress felt impenetrable enough for her. And just as she had planned, with Robbin's help, she had successfully infiltrated the Tenryuubito's auction house, guarded by ten guards outside, popping through a small window into the basement.

She knew she was frightened because even when Sanji, Ussop, Chopper, and even Law reacted against Luffy's suggestion that she should go, alone, she hadn't find the voice to deny it, and just had left Zoro state the obvious: That she was the only one capable of successfully infiltrating the building completely unnoticed.

It had taken them some time to convince a doubtful Law to agree. Not that they were waiting for him to accept it anyway, the whole straw hat crew had grown fond of the bear. Rescuing him was a must, not an option. According to The Surgeon of Death, the Tenryuubito was scared that either the marines or the Heart pirates would appear, and so they had threatened with killing Bepo at the first sign of any of them near the shore. No wonder why Law had gone to them. Even with his skills Bepo's life was at risk. His initial plan was just asking for Robin's cooperation and the rest of the crew to keep any marine ship away from the island. The surgeon of death was taking no risks. It was obvious that the black haired man was reluctant to agree at first, but being their options so logically clear, he gave up.

So there she was, hiding behind an empty barrel, checking the body of the fallen guard, looking for the keys to free Bepo from his new explosive collar. Of course he didn't have it. It was predictable, most probably one of the two guards looking directly over Bepo had it, but she had to be sure, for there was no time to lose.

From the ceiling, as if happening far away, she could hear the voice of the host inviting the wealthy guests to sit down, and once the second guard walked at the other side of the barrel, Nami jumped over it and hit him in the head with her staff, quickly placing her own body under his, as to prevent any sound of the body falling to the floor. After hiding him right next to the other, she checked on him, but the key was not there. She cursed under her breath. She was running out of time.

Carefully moving through the darkness, the cat thief stepped next to the door and waited, her ear glued to it. If her ears didn't deceive her, one of them was walking through the room, while the other was rather away, as she could barely manage to hear him.

Robin's mouth popped out of the wall, she whispered "There are some boxes at the left of the door, I'll tell you when you can pass"

Nami held her Clima-tact near her and crunched, focusing on her breathing, she didn't need to see, she trusted Robin.

"Now"

With mechanic perfection, the Cat thief opened the door just enough to slip into the room and purposefully left it slightly open. She moved still crunching to the boxes Robin had indicated, and waited a few seconds more to make sure none of them had noticed. She moved, then, through the line of boxes which reached almost the other side of the room. From there, she dared to peek.

Bepo was at the center of the room, sitting on the floor, his big white head leaning down, over the big metallic collar in his neck. It was bigger than she remembered, and her stomach sunk a little, knowing how dangerous it would be for Bepo if that exploded.

"did you leave that door open?" – The guard that was moving stated walking towards the door, showing her his back. As the other one also looked in his direction, Nami crossed the room and placed herself behind the seat, hiding in its shadow.

"Rob!" called the one at the door. No answer. As expected, for Rob was having a sweet dream on the wet floor. "damn you!" he spitted as he stepped into the dark hall.

As soon as that happened, Nami silently approached the lonely guard. The keys in his pocket, half of them had found their way out. She only had to reach them…

"Ah?" She didn't know what gave her away, but the next second he was holding her wrist so tight that it hurt. He was about to cry for help when a bear kick stroke him right in the head, throwing him unconscious to the floor.

"Nami-ya!"- Bepo's voice was low and full of emotion, but it still frightened.

"AND NOW, THE OFFER WE ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR"

As Bepo's eyes filled with fear, the woman didn't lose time and took the keys, releasing the collar from the bear's neck, just as the other door opened.

"What are you doing?!"

As the host put his hand in his pocket, Nami grabbed the collar and threw it to them.

The explosion raised enough dirt to buy them some time. Hand in hand with Bepo, she made it by heart to the passage she had been before.

"Nami, this way!" The straw hat never saw her nakama but followed her voice through the cloudy darkness.

"I see the exit Miss-Nami"- As they ran, Bepo helped her to climb over his shoulders, for he was a lot faster than her. The frightened screams from the guests, and some angry shouts from the guards inside, were already coloring the air. As Bepo brought them to the fresh night air, she could clearly see Law's room ahead, ready to teleport them to the ship. From the circular white bubble Zoro, Sanji and Luffy appeared running in the opposite direction, making sure their nakamas would make it to a safer place.

In the coast, the beautiful figure of the Sunny waiting for her.

She breathed happily as their pursuers were held back, Bepo was almost there...

And then she heard it.

It sounded stronger that the other sounds, and closer, and she didn't feel it until suddenly her body was flying away from Bepo's back, and she was sure Robin was right beneath her. As the burning smell came to her she was falling, catching for a second a pair of shocked eyes…

Frightened eyes?

Law?

As her head hit the ground she thought for a second that he was screaming her name, but when the force of the fall turned her body upwards she found Chopper's tearfull eyes over her.

"Nami! Talk to me!"

The girl with the red hair tried to reply, but she couldn't. In fact, when had all the lights gone away?

As the stars faded, she heard her friend calling Law to come back. And then, darkness.


	6. Bepo's Realization part 2

AAh… eeh, hello! :D sorry for the delay! My only excuse is I failed a course and I got depressed, but I'm better now so my inspiration came back and here the chapter is. Aah, I changed the dialogues from –blablabla- to "blablabla" as suggested C: I hope it's less confusing to read now (however this chapter is told from Bepo's view so there's very little dialogue).

Thaaaaaanks to all of you who wrote me! Keep writing, I am happy to receive suggestions and to know whether you liked or not C:

I hope you like it.

Bepo's Realization part 2

At first, Bepo didn't notice anything strange. Not that he was very aware of what had happened outside the infirmary, and even when Law insisted on him to take some rest from the stressful situation he had faced, Bepo insisted on taking care of Nami personally. His Capitan didn't refuse much, after all, he had done the same with the straw hats, and now the cat thief was slowly recovering in the depths of the ocean, on board of the Heart's submarine.

During the first days, critical to Nami's recovery, Law had kept guard on the floor, next to the woman all day long. He had read, slept and taken his meals there. Bepo had done the same, occasionally going out to look for things law had requested. It seemed difficult to believe that the red haired girl, always so full of energy, could now breathe so slowly. There were even entire minutes in which Law could't take his eyes off her, just to make sure she was breathing.

"She'll wake soon" Law had said to him the second day, watching how anxiously the bear waited minute after minute for a sign of recovery. And Bepo nodded, with the sour feeling that his Captain was also looking for certainty in his own words. As expected, his eyes didn't flicker, and his hands didn't shak as the black haired man observed her, and yet there was something missing in his voice, so unsettling, that Bepo left the room just to distract his mind.

Sometimes, Bepo could recall seeing the host of the auction house with the weapon in his belt. It was too late though, and the memory of his little disgusting pieces floating in the night air made him feel slightly better. It would take them years to find him complete… if they ever did.

He knew well enough whenever he caught his captain having the same kind of thoughts. It happened when the gray eyes were set on a book for hours without moving a page, and his right fist would clench as if he was wielding his sword, or he would just turn his eyes to the ceiling and keep looking at it for hours. The bear knew those thoughts in his captain's mind because it had been such a stupid mistake. Nobody had seen it coming; nobody imagined it from such a distance… nobody knew that such a weapon even existed. If the room had been bigger. If Law had gone down with the Strawhats. If only… so many "if"s.

The Strawhats called everyday asking for the health of their nakama, and for the first four days the only answers they received were those of disguised uncertainty. Until the fifth day, while boiling in a high fever, she woke up. Her movements were so slow and fragile that it took them a few seconds to notice them, but as she extended a shaking hand towards the surgeon, the man took her hand to comfort her and approached to check her temperature, smirking at her weak question about Bepo.

It was a short, painful sight, but good news anyway. Probably that's why he didn't notice _that_ back then. Truth to be told; it seemed even clearer now.

However, Bepo only started to notice it after Nami got better. And even that took him a while. The usual schedule when a guest patient was on board was the captain's full attention during the first critical days, and then he retreated to his room and only gave the polite, necessary visits to make sure the recovery was on its curse.

After the fever incident, Law retreated to his room as usual. Or so Bepo had thought.

The next day, Bepo didn't find him in his room but in the library, checking some old maps. The day after that, he found him in the kitchen, puzzling his crew with his unusual presence. The third day he "went" to his room, if taking walks through the sub every twenty minutes could be called that. The fourth day, finally, as he was dozing off on his seat, Bepo finally heard an "ooooouch, my head".

"Na-nami-ya!"

"Bepo?" the confusion in the girl eyes turned immediately into joy "you are fine!"

It wasn't until she tried to get up that the pain from the recent wound persuaded her to keep her body on the bed. Her cheeks going pale from the pain.

"I wound't do that if I were you, Nami-ya"

Bepo moved the chair closer to the bed, and offered it to his captain, so he could do the formal examination, and then stood at the door, observing them. He wasn't sure, but he hadn't seen the surgeon so cheerful that very morning, even if determining Trafalgar Law's levels of cheerfulness was difficult already. He could guess by his smirk and the sarcastic way in which he talked about the time she had slept, that the surgeon was more than pleased to have her back, and also, judging by his attentive silences each time the girl's weakened body shivered, that he was still concerned.

"May I know, Law, why am I on your ship?" The Strawhat spit each word with comical struggle; almost as angry at his sarcasms, as by the carelessly way he had said "four days" of unconsciousness. Bepo sighed, he didn't blame her; the death surgeon wasn't easy to interpret.

Bepo opened his mouth to say that the Captain himself had insisted on taking her under his personal care, but the man's hand fell strongly over his shoulder, interrupting him.

"Your captain insisted"

And something clicked

Trying, as hard as it sounded, to act normal, the bear turned left only to find the same two caramel eyes set on him with deep annoyance.

"he is lying, isn't he?"

"Ah, hum…he…You, I mean, he…"

"MISS NAMIIIII" An avalanche of joyful pirates saved Bepo from a sharp interrogation, and taking advantage of the up breaking chaos, a tattooed hand dragged him out of the room.

"Go get the Den den mushi and tell the news to the Strawhats"

"But, captain…"

Hoplesly, Bepo observed the black haired man walk back to his room. Sometimes he wished he didn't know the surgeon so well.


	7. Shachi's Realization

Hello everyone! I'm sorry for the delay. Here is the new chapter, no more Bepo's view thought, now it's Shachi's turn, jeje C:

Thank you all for your reviews and keep sending them, I love you all a little bit more each time you do it. Remember it's important for me to know your feedback, suggestions, doubts, complains, etc, but it's even better if you like it C:

Shachi's Realization

Shachi cursed his luck that day, unaware that everything would turn much, much worse. He hated losing bets, and here he was: cleaning up the farewell celebration held for Nami-ya the last night she spent on the Hearts submarine, which was good news anyways, as it was their only way to know she was mostly recovered. Their stoic captain never seemed willing to speak about the incident.

They had been lucky, he thought as he swiped the alcohol-stinking floor. The device the bastard had shot was a prototype of a new weapon. Luckily, the bullet, which was actually a _fucking explosive_, instead of sticking into the girl's back, causing mortal damage to her internal organs, had failed and bouncing against her, it exploded close to her legs and damaged her bones and muscles a little, it also burned her skin, but left her body complete, which was pretty good if you considered it from the right perspective.

Still, the fall she had suffered was pretty bad. Law hadn't said anything, but they knew by Bepo's reports that he had spent whole nights cutting and checking at her lungs and other organs, fixing them little by little. He was probably the only one capable of doing that, avoiding an overall collapse, result of the multiple local failures of her weakened body.

She was all right now, anyway, even though it would take her some time to fully recover her usual agility.

Shachi turned off the lights with a wide smile, full of satisfaction in his face. He stretched his dizzy body and started the way back to the bedroom. As he walked past the library, the man heard a slow voice, far away. _"I shouldn't have drunk that last bottle of rum"_ he said to himself, but when he heard it again, a hint of recognition called his curiosity, and before he could even realize what was happening he found himself peeking into the library.

It took him some seconds to recognize his captain sitting over the desk, his arms crossed, a serious look on his eyes, the look that Sachi followed, just to find at the end a pair of provoking caramel eyes.

"I have no idea what you are talking about" Nami replied in a calm, indifferent voice, and Shachi felt for a moment that she was being fully honest about it, whatever it was _that_ which she was not supposed to know.

"My ink, Nami-ya, I think I was pretty clear about it" The surgeon shot her a quick smile, but it was not amusing. It was threatening.

"I didn't even know you had your own ink" she replied, walking offhandedly to the shelves.

The smirk in the captain's face grew a little bit more, and then, with one strong movement, he got back to his feet and walk slowly to the girl, making her instinctively move back until her back was against the shelves.

Shachi's expression was as shocked as hers, while the surgeon delicately curled a lock of orange hair around his finger and took it to his nose.

"Your hair" he hold her look for some seconds, pleasuring himself in her confusion "It smells like the ink you've been using"

Shachi saw the thief's expression turn from innocent confusion into annoyed stubbornness. "Fine! You got me, I left _the left overs_ in bepo's closet" she replied moving her face away from his, the proximity clearly affecting her, even though Sachi was not sure if it was pure awkwardness, for she was clearly not trying to break free from the captain.

But she didn't move. She crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring Law's brief furious glance over her.

They stood like that, against the shelves for long, tense, silent seconds, puzzling the red haired man. And then, a revelation struck Shachi.

She was hiding something.

"I don't like people to hide secrets from me " his captain told her, getting closer and closer to her ear. Slowly rising a hand above her head, to the upper side of the shelf.

She reacted quickly, stretching her body to get his hand before he could reach any book, realizing too late of his victorious grin.

"So you _are_ hiding something here" the surgeon spoke to her in a low, dangerous voice, giving her the chills. Hepressed her against him, catching her wrist in the air with his left hand, and taking it back to her back, at the height of her waist, grabbing it with his right hand, impatiently locking her body with his own.

"ok, then, Nami-ya, we will finish this faster if you tell me _where_ the maps you drew with _my ink _are"

"On the desk" Nami's tone was daring, getting back the attention of the young captain to her, a spark of impatience in his eyes.

"You don't know how to lie when you are drunk"

Half a laugh came out Nami's lips, making her forget the proximity of their bodies, looking up straight at his face "I'm not drunk"

"lying again"

"I'm not giving you my maps"

"They are mine"

"_I_ made them!"

"With my ink. In my ship. They are mine"

They looked at each other for a second, suddenly realizing how childish and pointless that fight was. None of them would yield.

"_fine" _Law replied, tired of her little game, focusing on getting the new book on the shelf, absentmindedly containing the thief with both his hands.

"_Damn you Law"_ Nami's situation was clearly different. It wasn't just her pride what was on stake, not just that precious ink she had used instead of sold, but a brand new beautiful collection of maps, which would be never recover if she lost them now…

She acted on impulse right when the black haired surgeon drew a victory grin as he spotted the thin wide blue book, reaching him with one of his hands, which allowed her to use her free one to grab his hair and toss him down to her.

It was a short, violent kiss, enough to blank him a fraction of a second in which he only caught the sight of a flash of red hair fading from under his grab.

The red haired man had enough time to throw himself aside as the girl opened the door in the fastest escape he had ever seen, when he finally reacted, Shachi peeked into the room, just to see Law staring at the papers on the desk. He moved a few of them before bursting in a low laugh.

"captain?" Shachi approached some steps from the door.

"Our maps, she fixed them"

"shouldn't we go ask her hand the copies back? She can't run away anyway"

He felt the death surgeon's derisive smirk on him, just realizing he was there. "It'd be interesting to try that again" Sachi stammered as he slowly walked away from his captain. He recognized a threat when he heard one.

"I-I don't know what you are talking about… captain"

"Good" Law's indifferent look came back as he left the library "then go inside a look for anything that we might miss"

Shachi cursed his luck again, going once and again over what he had just seen. The next morning, Bepo found him lying asleep over a pile of new maps, made to be pinned over the old ones they had.

He had to admit that when he saw his captain and the cat thief walk next to the other as if nothing had happened at all, he had to make an effort to make sure his memories of last night were true. It was not until Law had gone to his room and everything was over that Sachi realized how exhausted he was, and started wondering how much alcohol it would take him to keep his mouth shut.

He felt a freezing wave of horror when he realized what would happen if the secret ever left his lips.


	8. Zoro's Realization

Hi! Today is Zoro's turn. This chapter occurs on the Thousand Sunny, if at some point it is not clear exactly where they happen, please forgive me and use your imagination, for I am not sure of how to describe a ship in English. That being said, I hope you like the chapter. Remember that reviews are more than welcome.

Zoro's Realization

Whatever had happened at Nami's stay in the Heart's submarine, it had definitely been for the better. Zoro had never grown quite fond of the fights between the navigator and the death surgeon, and now, instead, there was an uncomfortable and tense silence. Which was better than their fights, for Nami's mood wasn't that bitchy now.

Unlike the annoying cook, he wasn't worried at their behavior's change. As far as he knew, if anything offensive would have happened to her, she would have already told the shitty cook to knock Law off the ship, if something threatening, she would have told Luffy. But instead, she was drinking her juice in innocent silence. Knowing her as he knew her, she had stolen something valuable for the Heart crew, and their captain had probably settled things on his own account. _She stole something, for sure, and hasn't apologized. She hasn't even given it back, I'd bet on that. _

But the swordsman had no one to bet with, at least not while they were having lunch, secretly afraid to unleash the navigator's rage.

At Nami's petition, Chopper had been present at Law's ,absolutely medical, visit, and due to that stupid cook's food, the heart crew was staying a little bit longer than usual, obviously against their captain wishes, who was now silently sitting next to him sharing a bottle of sake. He was leaning on Bepo. Sachi had shyly approached to them some moments ago, while Penguin was having a light chat with Frankie on the upper deck. As expected, Law's presence on the lawn had resulted in a Nami's sudden wish to visit the library.

"How long for her to recover completely?" asked Zoro, as if wondering how the weather was. Law replied in the same tone.

"Fully, some five months"

The answer lingered over the swordsman's head. It was a lot considering all the absurdly dangerous situations their captain was capable of generating in that amount of time.

"Don't worry about her; she can _clearly_ take care of herself"

Zoro smiled at him in interest "so the witch gave you some problems"

Sachi choked.

Law shrugged, ignoring him "she left us some really good maps in exchange"

Still observing in curiosity at Sachi pathetic efforts to put a poker face, he caught sight of a wind of orange hair running urgently to the ship's railing on the upper deck. As she leaned over, with her eyes wide open to the sky, the rest of her crew appeared one by one, waiting in expectancy.

"What is it now, Nami?" Luffy stood next to her, looking at the sky as if he would also see the abnormality.

"I'm not sure" She replied absentmindedly, quickly jumping to the sail ropes and climbing them.

"She shouldn't be doing that" Zoro heard the surgeon say in disapproval, and yet he knew it was better to let her be. He got up and approached a little towards the mast, just to make sure he would catch her if she fell, rather alarmed by her unusual slowness.

As she reached the first sail, she yelled at Franky "IT'S A CYCLONE, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE YET" Her words were already being washed away by the strong wind, which started messing up her head in every direction.

Frankie was ready to start the Coup de Burst at her sign. Trafalgar Law activated his room and sent Bepo, Zoro assumed, back to the submarine.

The swordsman didn't start to feel truly alarmed until the Thousand started changing its direction, he checked on Frankie but he was not moving the wheel.

"NAMI, GET OFF!" Usopp was growing as uneasy as him, but she just pointed to the heavily clouded sky and followed a new group of rounding grey lines which started moving slowly at first.

As the clouds begun to move faster, in a sort of explosive frantic spiral, Zoro decided it was enough and started moving towards the mast, when they saw it.

"180 DEGREES LEFT!"

It was way too fast, but the clouds all went down in a single movement, stabbing the deep blue ocean, taking everything around with them. The change of direction stroke the ship with rage, knocking them all off to one side of the deck. When Zoro was able to raise his head he saw Frankie struggling against the wheel to get the direction right before shooting them out of that hell.

"NAMI SWAAAAAN"

The girl was hanging from the sail, but the swordsman watched in relief how she threw her legs to the sail's yard, as she climbed, another wave struck the ship, striking her hip against the wood. He heard her scream in pain as her leg slipped, she barely managed to grab the sail yard with a hand. .

"Teleport" before Zoro could even run, he saw Law jump from the railings to the sea, and appear on the other extreme, rather far from her. The Heart captain held to the nearest ropes and quickly jumped near her, just in time as her strength left her. He caught her wrist in the air and helped her to reach the ropes he was in, pressing her against the mast with his body.

Frankie actioned the Coup De Burst just in time, and as they flew outside the huge cyclone Zoro forgot to hold himself to something, absorbed in shock at the sight.

After so many years together, he had discovered that the only manner to see throw the navigator was when she was afraid. And he had seen the panic in her eyes as she fell, as well as he was watching her embrace Law with all her strength, burying her face in his neck. Never, in all the times he, Luffy, and Sanji had saved her, he had seen her do something like that.

It was only when they landed on safe water that he realized it was Robin's grip what had kept him on the ship, as he gave a look to thank her, she took a finger on her lips, showing him that she had seen the same.

Law let go of the rope and fell easily on the ground with Nami still on his arms. There was a quick moment in which both looked at the other in the eyes before Nami backed off ,embarrassed, as if remembering something all of a sudden. The surgeon of death roughly grasped her arm, bringing her closer and muttered in irritation "Do that again and I let you drown". As Sanji's approached to Nami in a desperate run, the surgeon turned to Luffy."I need to check my submarine" he said as his ship emerged from the sea, his voice sharply changing from anger to blankness.

Zoro watched Law go away realizing that he had just heard something he wasn't supposed to, and then at Nami. As he suspected, instead displaying her fury at his obnoxious words, as she would have done with _anyone else, _she was childishly biting her lip, angry, but blushed. _She is embarrassed_.

"Something happened" He said confidently at Robin as she walked next to him. She laughed, puzzling him. "I'm sure it did"

.


	9. Usopp's Realization

Usopp Realization

The greedy shine of her eyes told Law everything he needed to know. Amused, he took a bite of his personalized breakfast oniguiri as Sashi kept on talking about the tangerines they bought in the last port they'd been, completely ignorant of the consequences of his words.

The Death surgeon watched her bit her lower lip, hiding an anxious grin. He didn't know her _too much, _but he knew her enough to know _that_ was guilt.

"Really?! Can we have some?"

Law almost wished Chopper hadn't asked him. Chewing slowly, he purposefully crossed his eyes with her begging, wide, somehow puppy eyes, making sure no muscle in his face would give away even a little bit of his thoughts. She pouted at him, as if making an effort to look adorable, but he knew that not too deep into that wicked mind, she was already plotting something.

He shrugged.

"Maybe we can spare you one or two" Shashi offered, as if making up for his captain impoliteness.

_Poor naive Shachi_.

"Really?!" Chopper and Nami's voice rose at the same time, bathed in the purest happiness. Or at least one of them was. Because, he thought, since when was the cat thief satisfied with only two things of anything she wanted?

Feigning he wasn't feeling her greedy eyes upon him, Trafalgar Law grabbed another oniguiri.

He spent the rest of the afternoon reading a book in the infirmary, the door left half open just in case, drowsiness falling heavily over him with each page read. His gaze slipped casually to the piece of hallway he could see from his seat.

Nothing had happened in hours. He was being paranoid, he thought, it would be better having some sleep in his room. The tangerines were in the cold room of their kitchen, inside the personally locked dining room.

There was no way she'd sneak in.

He got up, put his hat on, and left.

Five steps later, the sweet smell tickled his nose.

Chuckling in denial, he unlocked the door.

He saw nothing.

_Of course you wouldn't_. He thought. Breathing deeply, he felt it again, the sweetness tickling his nose.

Going back to his memories of the afternoon, he tried to convince himself no one had crossed the hallway to this part of the sub. There was no way she'd broken into the place without being seen, and definitely, there was no way of forcing the door and locking it again in absolute silence.

_They call her the cat thief for a reason._

The line came to his mind accidentally, he wasn't even sure who had said it, maybe Zoro. Anyway, abilities had a limit, and Nami was a thief, not a wizard. There was no way she could be here.

And yet the surgeon couldn't help it but to step forward into the kitchen.

Locking the door behind him, just in case, he made his way to the kitchen, where he had to use his keys to open it as well, the smells of tangerines fell heavily over him now, and a shiver ran down his back. He crossed the kitchen in less than a second and barely touched the rather warm handle of the refrigerator before the rational conclusion hit him.

She had _just_ been there.

He hurried out of the kitchen, and stopped just as his hand snapped the lights on.

Unaware of his stunned face, he watched her stand up from behind their table with both her hands raised, an apologetic smile on her eyes "I couldn't get the freezer open" she lowered them cautiously "I'm technically innocent, right?"

"How did you get here?"

The navigator's kept her innocent smile, but there was a sarcastic tone in her words "I used to be a magician, you know".

The surgeon didn't answer, reluctant to believe her yet unable to accuse her, and way too aware of the gleeful shine in the navigator's glance. Expressionless once more, getting a few steps closer, he studied her face, the orange hair falling gracefully over the back and shoulders, her eyes bright yet alert, lips parted in a daring smirk. He frowned.

Oh right, her lips.

"Look, I didn't take anything, just open the door" She walked to it, making what, for him, were obvious efforts to hide her anxiety "I can't promise I won't break the lock if I force it twice"

"If you say so" Trafalgar Law shrugged as if he didn't care and made his way to her.

He unlocked the door and pushed it, holding it open with his right hand, and as she walked to it, he took her exposed waist with his left.

His fingers brushed her skin. It was freezing.

He felt her shiver at his touch, and gently pushed her back as he closed the door again. This time he let half a victorious smirk spread across his face. And let his nose bury against her hair, only enough to let her know he could _smell_ the tangerines in it.

He didn't move, but simply waited for her to turn around and face him. Somehow realizing just how close they were, Trafalgar decided not to step back, the surgeon of death showed no doubts, even when he started to wonder why he had had to smell her hair... The now definitely not smiling eyes cut his thoughts.

"you tried it yourself, the freezer is locked" Feigning annoyance, the navigator pushed the unlocked door at her back, but his hand pulled it close with no effort at all. Slowly, he took her face and made her look at him, so as to have a full view of her slightly purple and cracked lips. Logic said she'd been inside the freezer, the cold of her skin, the texture of her lips and the smell of her hair, and yet…

"How did you do it?"

"I didn't"

The facts ran through his head again. He smelt the fruit, he brushed the coldness in her chin, he saw the cracks in her mouth. His methodical mind knew there was only one more _sign_ he needed to be fully sure of his diagnosis. He found that thought funny and then dismissed it.

"You don't expect me to believe that, do you?" his tone was low, his frown deep, and the fingers holding Nami's face seemed to be burning, he felt her shiver again. What did he want _exactly? _he wondered, not too concerned. Holding her stubborn glare, he supposed that a confession to her crime would do, maybe an explanation to the mystery, but watching her swallow her pride would suffice.

"You have no real proof, do you?" she shot, unsuccessfully pushing the door again "You can't be sure"

There was one/a way, he knew there was one, she knew there was one/so as well, and suddenly, pushing his luck seemed… _interesting._

He caught her in half a gasp, he'd meant only to _taste_ her, but all of a sudden his body was pressing hers against the door. He bit her lower lip and heard what he thought was a low moan. Something deep stirred deeper, lower as he grabbed her hair and pulled down not to fiercely but not too softly neither and burnt all the way to his mouth when he felt her nails tugged into the skin at his back.

Somehow, he was able to hear it.

Almost painfully, he forced his lips away from hers.

Steps echoed not too far away in the hallway "...heard'm fighting in the dining room"

"Must be Usopp" Nami muttered so low it could be a whisper, probably still out of air, he thought with a hint of pride. As she fixed her hair, he felt under the impression he, too, smelt of tangerines now.

Stepping back, watching her now blushed cheeks and swollen lips, letting some air into his own lungs, the realization of what had just happened sunk in his mind slowly.

He frowned.

She opened the door in a disguised hurry.

The last thing he heard as she closed the door behind her was her poor effort of a casual greeting.

The next day, Jean Bart didn't even tried to question his captain about his sudden lighter mood, or why he was sending a mikan box to the Straw Hats so early in the morning. The huge man simply stared at him, trying to get over the frustration of knowing there were things, ridiculously interesting and unlikely to happen that were out of his reach. So he simply chose a rough wooden box and proceeded to walk all the dark way from the submarine to the sunlight Tuesday morning that received/greeted him as he climbed onto the Sunny. He walked past Zoro on the deck into the kitchen, where he was received by the paralyzed glance of the funny nosed guy of the ship over the box.

"The Captain sent them" He added, as to make small talk. But the only response was the other man passing a slow hand at the back of his neck, obviously and unsuccessfully trying to pull down a nervous smirk.

Then, they looked at each other, and Bart saw in Usopp the nervous fear of a person who has just realized something he wasn't supposed to realize _ever _"I think we are leaving today" he added a moment later, and then he left.

Keeping an _I-know-nothing_ mask later that day, Usopp tried just as hard as Nami to avoid meeting the death surgeon. He wasn't even sure who he feared the most, if the sadistic, stoic captain, or the evil, cunning witch. Unsurprised at the news that the submarine was leaving earlier than expected, he hoped Nami's mood would lighten with their departure, busy keeping Luffy away from insanely murderous islands, and it was for the best, he thought. After all, they belonged to different crews, which would eventually either separate completely or collide violently, and as difficult as her character was, she was his friend, after all.

Usopp released a heavy sight.

Yes, better keep the Heart Pirates at a distance.

It's been a while C:

Sorry for the delay, Last year was crazy, I finished my major and most of my clases were in spanish so when I found some time to write, my english failed me. I've been reading everything I couldn't read in the year and trying to warm up my writing skills, which were never amazing, but I think, decent enough. This chapter is simple, but I am publishing anyway to try to keep me motivated at this. I'll dedicate more time to LawNa for now, I expect to publish a couple of chapters of my other fanfic, Exhaustion, soon, while I remain unemployed.

Reviews always fuel my motivation. And thanks to all you who reviews the last one shot of this fic. Love for all the ones who come back to this dusty set of oneshots!


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